Press Releases

Carroll County Community Mediation Center Celebrates One Year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Sylvia Blair
Executive Assistant to the President
Carroll Community College
410-386-8411

Carroll County Community Mediation Center Celebrates One Year
Under the Auspices of Carroll Community College

Westminster, Md., Sept. 28, 2009--This October, the Carroll Community College Mediation Center will celebrate one year under the auspices of Carroll Community College. A week of activities to bring community attention to peaceful conflict resolution will include an open house, a mediation ethics class, and a celebration of Conflict Resolution Day at Carroll Community College. These observances will take place during Conflict Resolution Week beginning October 12, 2009.

The Mediation Center was formerly under the auspices of the Carroll County Youth Bureau.

Mediation sessions are conducted by trained community volunteers. Pam Thompson is a sales manager at Dutterer's Flower Shop in Westminster. About once a week, she volunteers her personal time, about four or more hours, depending on the need. Thompson co-mediates client conflicts with another co-mediator to help people resolve conflicts. Examples of conflicts include disputes between neighbors, parents and teens, and spouses, among others.

"I enjoy helping people learn the skills to resolve problems with less conflict," said Thompson.
"Since the Center has been under the auspices of the community college, services have been expanded to be inclusive of more groups of people."

"We are pleased to be able to offer this program at Carroll Community College as a resource for Carroll County," said College President Dr. Faye Pappalardo. "Patricia Ryan does wonderful work and is an asset to the college."

"The college is pleased that the Mediation Center has been added to provide these new services. It is clear that the word is spreading about the benefit of mediation services in our community and the good work of our staff and volunteers," said Karen Merkle, vice president of Continuing Education and Training.
For more information, call 410-848-1764.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009 3-7 p.m.
Carroll County Community Mediation Center (CCCMC) Open House
255 Clifton Boulevard Suite 301 Westminster, Maryland 21157
The CCCMC is hosting an Open House from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Please come and help us celebrate our one year anniversary of being a part of Carroll Community College. Everyone is invited to stop in and see our space in the Carroll Nonprofit Center and learn more about community mediation in Carroll County. Staff, volunteers and advisory board members will be on hand to discuss the services the CCCMC provides to the community.
Food: Light refreshments will be served.
Registration is not required

The Maryland Program for Mediator Excellence (MPME) is hosting a series of Ethics Classes for mediators during September, October and November. The goals for the class include:

oAssisting participants in understanding the sources of the ethical standards that apply to Maryland mediators and how these standards are consistent with or differ from national standards.
oProviding participants with a working knowledge of the requirements of confidentiality and the MPME ethical standards.

Identifying, with the participants, the margins between ethical and non-ethical practice. This interactive class will include lecture, verbal and written hypotheticals as well as video clips.

Participation in the class will satisfy the MPME member commitment of two hours of ethics training each year.

Speakers: Roger Wolf, former professor, University of Maryland, School of Law and Director, Center for Dispute Resolution at the University of Maryland School of Law.

Thursday, October 15, 2009 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
International Conflict Resolution Day at Carroll Community College's Unity Fair
1601 Washington Road-Great Hall Westminster, Maryland 21157
Learn more about what Carroll Community College is doing to bring peace and unity to families, neighbors and businesses here in Carroll County through the Carroll County Community Mediation Center. Find out about volunteer opportunities; learn about upcoming classes and trainings on listening and communication skills that really work; learn how to manage conflict. See how mediation is used to manage and resolve conflict in many different arenas. Registration is not required.

Carroll County Community Mediation Center: A Year in Review
In the one year period since opening October 1, 2009, the Center has grown and accomplished great strides in spreading peace in Carroll County. Here are some of the highlights.

Since October 2008 the Carroll County Community Mediation Center has:
" 37 new volunteers, of them 25 are trained mediators and 12 are Advisory Board members providing support, direction, and recommendations to the Director.
" Volunteers who have given over 1200 hundred hours of their time and dedication to increase the peace in the community.
" Conducted over 500 hours of public education on conflict resolution.
" Developed and is now offering non credit courses in building conflict resolution skills for the community.

" Facilitated over 60 mediation sessions at no cost to the participants to assist them in resolving their conflicts.
" Obtained access to seven additional sites available throughout Carroll County to conduct mediations at locations convenient to participants.
" Permanent office space at the Carroll Nonprofit Center making the Center staff readily accessible to community members, organizations, and partners.

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